Hearing loss is a significant global problem, yet the research dollars allocated to it are relatively small. Why is this? And what can we do about it? The 2024 HLAA Convention presentation “Why is it so hard to treat sensorineural hearing loss?” raised a number of these questions. Unfortunately, there are no good answers. But the tide may be turning. Hearing Loss Association of America’s (HLAA) national office is increasing its advocacy efforts on this topic.
Why I Support Hearing Research
Supporting scientific research about hearing loss is very important to me. Only through research, will scientists discover new ways to prevent, treat, and cure hearing loss. It fills me with hope when I think how this research will one day help people with hearing loss live easier lives.
I started supporting hearing loss research right after I came out of my hearing loss closet. As part of my advocacy efforts, I joined the Board of Hearing Health Foundation where I helped start the Hearing Restoration Project, a collaborative scientific effort to find a biological cure for hearing loss. A few years later I began supporting the Stanford Initiative to Cure Hearing Loss (SICHL) which has a similar collaborative philosophy. SICHL is making great strides on many fronts of hearing research, including but not limited to hearing restoration.
Too Little Public Funding for Hearing Research
In 2023 and 2024, I served as a peer reviewer for the Hearing Restoration Research Program (HRRP), which is part of the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program (CDMRP) run by the Department of Defense (DoD). The most exciting part was seeing all the interest in hearing research that exists within the scientific community. Many more projects were submitted than could be funded. But that was also the frustrating part, especially when you compare the CDMRP funds allocated to hearing research relative to other conditions.
This slide from the HLAA Convention presentation shows that only $5 million of CDMRP funds were allocated to Hearing Restoration research in FY24, making it one of the smallest areas. This baffles me since hearing loss and tinnitus are the #1 and #2 war wounds reported by veterans. HRRP is a DoD funding mechanism. I expected that hearing would get more focus.
And the budget for hearing research has shrunk. When the HRRP program began in 2017, $10 million was allocated to hearing research. Today it is half that level. Both slides are courtesy of Dr. Quntian “Tian” Wang, program manager for both the HRRP and Vision Research Program.
What Can We Do About It?
Dr. Wang’s presentation at the convention lit a fire among attendees, all of whom wanted to help get more attention (and more funds) for future research projects in the hearing space. While the DoD program’s primary mission is to help reduce the burden of hearing loss on service members, and veterans, any research they do will help all of us with hearing loss too!
HLAA is taking action, recently joining the Defense Health Research Consortium (DHRC), a group of 127 patient advocacy organizations advocating for full funding of the CDMRP in the 2025 budget, which includes the HRRP. Let’s hope these efforts will not only help raise awareness about this important funding mechanism but lead to additional allocations for hearing research in the future.
How can you help? Reach out to HLAA’s Director of Public Policy Neil Snyder to learn more.
Readers, do you support more funding for hearing loss research?
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Shari, Thanks for this great piece on the need for more research funding for hearing research. We at HLAA Boston will look to amplify your message and support HLAA/Neil Snyders lobbying.
Thank you Kerry! Your support is appreciated!
How disappointing to know this, Shari. Unfortunately, it seems to track given the greater ignorance and insensitivity surrounding HL even by the ADA.
It is disappointing. Hopefully, lobbying efforts will have some impact over time. Thank you for sharing your thoughts.
Clearly the diseases for which there are big advocacy organizations are the best fund. So it is terrific that HLAA will be advocating more. However, the chart is very unclear. It is likely that the $5 million for hearing restoration is not the only funding for hearing loss research. Research in other areas may also relate to hearing loss, and the $370 million for Peer Reviewed Medical does not specify how that money is distributed, other than to say 42 topics.
Jon Taylor
My understanding is that the $5 million is the only funding for hearing related research within this particular funding mechanism. Hopefully HLAA and others can help make this important area of study a bigger focus in the future. Thank you for sharing your thoughts.